来十一1　　信就是所望之事的质实，是未见之事的确证。

　　罗八24~25　　因为我们是在盼望中得救的；只是所见的盼望不是盼望，谁还盼望他所见的？但我们若盼望所不见的，就必忍耐着热切等待。

　　虽然信已经实化在我们里面，但要给信下定义并不容易。…〔希伯来十一章一节说到〕信就是所望之事的质实。因此，信是所望之事的确信、把握、证实、实际、素质、支持的根据，支持所望之事的根基。…信不是一种实质，乃是一个质实的动作。有信心并不是有一种实质的元素，乃是有一种质实的能力。虽然有些东西是看不见、听不到、摸不着的，但是在我们里面有一种能力，把这些东西质实出来。…我们的五官各有一种质实的能力。比如，我们的鼻能质实香味…。信心是在我们五官之外的特别感官。我们借着这一官能，就把一切未见之事和所望之事，都质实出来（希伯来书生命读经，六三八至六四○页）。

　　Heb. 11:1 Now faith is the substantiation of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

　　Rom. 8:24-25 For we were saved in hope. But a hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly await it through endurance.

　　Although faith is realized within our being, it is difficult to define… Hebrews 11:1… [says that] faith is the substantiating of things hoped for; it is the assurance, confidence, confirmation, reality, essence, supporting ground of things hoped for, the foundation that supports the things hoped for… Faith is not a substance; it is a substantiating action. To have faith is not to have a substantial element; it is to have a substantiating ability. Although certain things cannot be seen, heard, or touched, we nevertheless have within us the ability to substantiate them. Each of our five senses has a substantiating ability. For instance, our nose substantiates fragrances… Faith is a specific and particular sense in addition to our five senses. It is the sense by which we substantiate the things unseen or hoped for. (Life-study of Hebrews, pp. 532-533)

　　信徒的生活就是所望之事的生活，这盼望是与信并行、并存的（彼前一21，林前十三13，罗四18）。不信的人，因为没有基督，就没有指望（弗二12，帖前四13）。但我们在基督里的信徒，是有指望的人。我们从神所接受的呼召，带给我们盼望（弗一18，四4）。我们蒙了重生，有活的盼望（彼前一3）。基督在我们里面，是那荣耀的盼望（西一27，提前一1），结果我们的身体要在荣耀中得赎，改变形状（罗八23~25）。这就是救恩的盼望（帖前五8），有福的盼望（多二13），美好的盼望（帖后二16），永远生命的盼望（多一2，三7），也是神之荣耀的盼望（罗五2），福音的盼望（西一23），给我们存在诸天之上的盼望（5）。我们该一直持定这盼望（约壹三3），因这盼望而夸耀（罗五2）。我们的神是赐盼望的神（十五13），使我们借着经书的鼓励（4），可以一直因神有盼望（彼前一21），并在指望中喜乐（罗十二12）。

　　希伯来书嘱咐我们将因盼望而有的胆量和夸耀坚守到底（三6），显出殷勤，以致对所盼望的有充分的确信，一直到底（六11），并持定摆在前头的盼望（18）。希伯来书也告诉我们，新约带进了更美的盼望，借此我们可以亲近神（七19）。我们的生活该充满盼望，这盼望是与信并行、并存的（彼前一21，林前十三13）。我们当效法亚伯拉罕，在无可指望的时候，仍靠指望而信（罗四18）。…一切所望之事，都因我们的信而被质实。因着信，一切所望之事就都是实在的；若没有信，一切所望之事似乎都是空的。我们必须接触神，让祂把信注入我们里面，使我们能把祂所应许而成为我们盼望的一切事，都质实出来。

　　希伯来十一章一节又说，信是“未见之事的确证”。“确证”这辞也可译为证据或证明。“确证”这辞含示行动。因此，信心不是实质，乃是未见之事的确证、行动、证据和证明。凡盼望之事，都是未见之事（罗八24~25）。任何事情若是看见了，就不必盼望。我们是有盼望的人，生活的目标不该放在所见的，乃该放在所不见的；因为所见的是暂时的，所不见的才是永远的（林后四18）。因此，我们行事为人，是凭着信心，不是凭着眼见（五7）。我们的目标是至圣所和新耶路撒冷，这两样都是看不见的。然而，对这些未见之事，我们有充足的确证。信心使我们对未见之事有把握，证实我们所没有看见的。因此，信是未见之事的证据、证明（希伯来书生命读经，六四○至六四一页）。

　　参读：希伯来书生命读经，第四十七篇。

　　The believer’s life is a life of things hoped for, a life of hope which goes together and abides with faith (1 Pet. 1:21; 1 Cor. 13:13; Rom. 4:18). The unbelievers, being without Christ, have no hope (Eph. 2:12; 1 Thes. 4:13). But we, the believers in Christ, are a people of hope. The calling which we received from God brings us hope (Eph. 1:18; 4:4). We are regenerated to “a living hope” (1 Pet. 1:3). Our Christ, who is in us, is “the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27; 1 Tim. 1:1), which will issue in the redemption, the transfiguration of our body in glory (Rom. 8:23-25). This is “the hope of salvation” (1 Thes. 5:8), a “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13), a “good hope” (2 Thes. 2:16), “the hope of eternal life” (Titus 1:2; 3:7), which is the “hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:2), “the hope of the gospel” (Col. 1:23), “the hope laid up for [us] in the heavens” (Col. 1:5). We should always keep “this hope” (1 John 3:3), and “boast” in it (Rom. 5:2). Our God is “the God of hope” (Rom. 15:13), and “through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4) all the time “in God” (1 Pet. 1:21) and “rejoice” in it (Rom. 12:12). This book of Hebrews charges us to “hold fast… the boast of hope firm to the end” (3:6), show “diligence unto the full assurance of… hope until the end” (6:11), and “lay hold of the hope set before us” (6:18). It also tells us that the new covenant brings in “a better hope, through which we draw near to God” (7:19). Our life should be a life of hope, which goes together and abides with faith (1 Pet. 1:21; 1 Cor. 13:13). We should follow Abraham who “beyond hope believed in hope” (Rom. 4:18). All the things which we are hoping for are substantiated by our faith. With faith, they all are real; without faith, they seem vain. We need to contact God for His infusion of faith that we may substantiate all the things which He has promised as our hope.

　　Hebrews 11:1 also says that faith is the “conviction of things not seen.” The Greek word rendered “conviction” may also be translated “evidence” or “proof.” The word conviction implies action. Thus, faith is not the substance, but the conviction, action, evidence, and proof of things not seen. All things hoped for are things not seen (Rom. 8:24-25). If anything is seen, we do not need to hope for it. As people of hope, we should not aim our life at “the things which are seen,” but at “the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18). Hence, “we walk by faith, not by appearance” (5:7). We are aiming at the Holy of Holies and the New Jerusalem, neither of which can be seen by us. Nevertheless, we have the full conviction of these unseen things. Faith assures us of the things not seen, convincing us of what we do not see. Therefore, it is the evidence, the proof, of things unseen. (Life-study of Hebrews, pp. 533-535)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Hebrews, msg. 47